Apparatus for recording and reproducing disk records for talking machines



June 14, 1932. H J. A. BARLO-W ETAL 1 0 1,362,524

APPARATUS FOR RECORDING AND REPRODUCING DISK RECORDS FOR TALKING MCHI NES Filed June 27, 1950 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 IN VEIY TORS:

HORHC' TO/IN ILBRT BH LO w ROBERT DOUGLFIS CHRG/LL HTTOE -57 June 14, 1932.

APPARATUS FOR RECORDING AND REPRODUCING DISK RECORDS FOR TALKING MACHINES Filed June 27. 1930 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 v z I z /0 v a 1 Ia \vsa INVf/VTORS:

H. .1. Al BARLOW ETAL 1,862,524

HORHCE JD/WY FLBfRT'EHRLOW YTTORNE June 14, 1932. H. J. A. BARLOW ETAL 1, APPARATUS FOR RECORDING AND REPRODUCING DISK RECORDS FOR TALKING MACHINES Filed June 27. 1930 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 r F l I16 '1.

(Q5 m .98 359 v I l- E o 1 I ew a5 //vv/ /ToRs.-

Patented June l4, 19 32 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE HORACE JOHN ALBERT BARLOW, OF FENDALTON, CHRISTCHURCH, AND ROBERT v DOUGLAS CABGILL, 0F CHRISTCHURCH, NEW ZEALAND APPARATUS non nneoanme AND nnraon'ucme msx anconns non TALKING mcnmus Application filed June 27, 1930, Serial No. 464,146, and in New Zealand August 31, 1929.

'This invention relates to the making and reproducing of talking machine records of the disk type.

At the present time it is the usual practice to drive the record-carrying turntable at a uniform speed of rotation by which arrangement the speed of the volute groove past the recording, or reproducing needle, diminishes gradually as such needle moves towards the centre of the record.

It has hitherto been proposed however to vary the speed of the turntable to compensate for the diminishing diameters of the convolutions of the volute groove and thus achieve a uniform speed of such groove past the needle throughout.

An arrangement of the latter kind ofi'ers I the important advantage that if a needlespeed approximating to that of the inner convolutions of the previously mentioned type is adopted, a considerably longerrecording may be provided than would be possible with a record of the same diameter under the first mentioned method.

The means hitherto proposed for this purpose however have comprised a governor.

whereby the speed of the motor operating the turn-table is automatically varied. Such an arrangement is'necessarily complicated and liable moreover to mechanical troubles which offset the advantages achieved.

It is the object of the present invention however generally to'provide a novel, simple and reliable construction applicable alike to the recording and reproducing of a record wherebya uniform needle-speed will be accurately maintained throughout the whole length of the volute groove, while a further object of the invention is to provide means whereby the needle will be actuated in its traversing movement, necessary to track in the volute groove positively by the driving mechanism and in strict synchronism therewith, thereby in a great measure relieving the said groove of mechanical strain and consequent wear by the needle.

lVith these and other objects in view the invention consists essentially of a construction wherein the necessary rotarymotion is communicated from a motor or other source of power to the turntable, through the frictional engagement with the face of a disk by a roller adapted to axial rotation accompanied by a progressive traversing movement relative to the disk in a direction parallel with the diameter of the latter, and which traversing movement is attained either by arranging the disk with a fixed axis of rotation and feeding the .roller in relation thereto, or by causing the roller to rotate in a stationary position and arranging the disk with its rotational axis to move bodily in relation to such roller.

The present invention contemplates also suspending the operation of the traversing movement of the roller and retaining the latter at a desired fixed point in relation to the disk thereby to cause the turn-table to 0perate at a uniform speed of rotation for the purpose .of reproducing ordinary records on occasions when so desired. To meet the requirements in such cases also provision is made for severing the connection between portions of the traversing mechanism carrying the roller and the portion bearing the needle-carrying unit to permit of the latter portion performing its traversing movement solely by the intercation of its needle with the volute groove.

In order that the nature of the invention and its construction may be clearly understood, it will now be fully described and explained with reference to the accompanyin drawings,.in which Fig. 1 shows in perspective a machine constituting a practical embodiment of the invention, Fig. 2 is an elevation of a portion of such machine as viewed approximately along the.

line IIII, Fig. 1 and in which certain parts have been omitted for. the sake of clearness,

- condition.

Fig. 6 shows means contained in the upper transverse member of the traverse for effecting the connection and disconnection of its two main portions and, p

Fig.7 is a vertical section of a bi-sected nut employed in conjunction with a leadingscrew in effecting the movement of the traverse. o

In a preferred form of the construction here illustrated, l is a base upon which are mounted, in co-axial relation. one above the other and with their common axis vertical, a pair of disks 2'and 3.

The lower disk 2 constitutes the frictional driving disk and ismounted to be capable of axial rotation with ability to limited vertical movement, such mounting consisting conveniently, as here shown, of a fixed column 4: (Figs. 2 and 4) upstanding from the base and in the upper and lower ends of which are provided bearings as 5 and 6 (Fig. 4) in which is rotatably and slidably received the spindle 7 of such disk 2. I

The upper disk 3 constituting the turntable is mounted to be capable of rotation with the disk 2 but without vertical movement. In the preferred form of the construction as here shown the spindle 7 of the disk 2 is tubular in order that the spindle 8 of the turntable may extend freely there- 'through and be supported independently therefrom, such supporting means consisting conveniently of a ball 9 carried upon a stationary part beneath the lower end of the tubular spindle 7 and'partly received in recess in the lower end of the spindle 8, and a driving connection with the latter at the,

lower end, it will be seen that the turn-table 3 in performing its rotation will be free from any shock or vibration which might be occasioned to the disk 2 by the frictlonal d ive. Adapted to. frictionally engage. the un tl side of the disk 2 is a roller 13 carried upon a horizontal shaft 14 disposed radially of the said diskand turn-table.

To the said shaft 14, which is rotatably carried .in fixed bearings, will be applied the driving power, the frictionalroller 13 being drivably connected with such shaft to rotate as one piece therewith but to be slidable longitudinally therealong for the purpose of performing its traversing movement.

This may be accomplished in any suitable manner as for example by splining or forming the shaft with one or more feather-ways as 15 in which engage suitable keys in the boss of the roller.

For the purpose of ensuring positiveness of its said frictional engagement the roller 13 maybe provided with a peripheral surface or tyre of rubber, or alternatively, and as thought preferable, such roller may have a metallic periphery to engage with a rubber surface attached to the underside of the disk by which latter arrangement it will be seen that wear of the rubber surface would not gilt? the relative speeds qf the roller and In the said form of the" construction also the said traversing movement of the roller is attained by the provision of a carriage adapted to travelling movement along suitable guides, as 16 and 17 disposed parallel with the said shaft 14;.

In the said preferred form of the construction also the carriage (Figs. 1, 3 and 5 is composed. of two main portions, adapte to perform their movement either in unison or as independent units.

One of such portions of the carriage comprises a pair of end members 18 provided with rollers 19 adapted to travel the guides 16, such members 18 being interconnected by a transverse member 20 havim a suitable formation 21 (Figs. 1 and 2) adapted to carry the friction roller 13 and preferably provided with a suitable anti-friction thrustbearing 22 to communicate the thrust to the roller 13,

while the other portion of such carriage consists of a second pair of end members 23 having rollers 24 adapted to travel the guides 17 such members 23 being interconnectedby an up er transverse member 25 arranged prefera ly ata suitable height above the-turntable 3 and adapted to carry the needle-carrying 'unit, viz., either the recording or reproducing unit which is not shown but may e mounted as bymeans ofrthepin 26 u standing from the member25 Figs. 1 and 5 Means are provided also or detachably locking the two said main portions of the carriage together whenit is desired that such shall operate in unison. As here shown the said locking means'comprises a pair of rack;- rods 27 (Fig. 6) cont'ainedin a recess'in the said transverse member 25 and slidable longitudinally with such member in opposite directions by means of a pinion 28 arranged between such rack-rodsand with its teeth in mesh with those of the said rods. The said pinion is fixed upon a spindle rotatably mounted in the said member and having one end projecting through the upper side of the member and furnished with a knob 29 (Figs. 1 and 5) by means of which the said pinion may be rotated manually. One end of each of the said rods is formed to constitute a sliding bolt the arrangement being such that when the pinion 28 is turned in one direction the said ends of the two said rods will thereby be caused to protrude through openings 30 i by turning the said pinion in the other or one in either of the end members 23 and engage Within corresponding openings 31 in the end members 18, thereby locking the two pertions of the carriage together and similarly opposite direction the two said ends of the rods will thereby be withdrawn from the openings 31 thus permitting independent movement of the two portions of the carriage. The means for actuating the carriage in its aforementioned sliding movement consists of a leading-screw 32 (Figs. 1 and 2) horizontally disposed parallel with the shaft 14 and rotatably mounted in stationary bearings adapted also to prevent end movement, such screw being rotated by the disk 2 through suitable gearing such for example as a toothed gear-wheel 33 (Figs. 2 and 4) intermeshing with a second gear-wheel 34 which latter actuates a worm 35 engaging with a wormwheel 36 upon the end of the screw 32.

Upon the portion 1820 of the carriage is provided a nut 37 to engage with the leading-screw 32 thereby to cause such portion to travel along its guides in response to the rotation of the screw.

In the preferred form of its construction the said nut 37 (Figs. 1 and 6) is bisected diametrically, the two halves so formed being operable mutually to cause them to close and so engage the leading screw, or move apart and so release the leading screw as required when the carriage is to be returned to its original or starting position on completion of its travel under action of such screw.

In construction the two halves of the nut 37 which are conveniently mounted to he slidable upon a portion of the member 20, are interconnected by means of a screw 38 disposed at right angles with the leading-screw 32 and formed with a right and a left-handed thread tapped one into each of the said halves of the nut, as clearly shown in Fig. 6.

The said screw 38 is provided with a suitable spring, as 39 (Figs. 1 and 2), or the equivalent such as a weight, tending to carry such screw into the said nut-closing position and means are provided for turning such screw into its nut-opening position, such means consisting conveniently as here shown (Figs. 1 and 3) of a plunger 40 slidable ver.-

lent, a pawl or detent 44 is mounted upon the member 18, as by means of a pivot 45, such pawl being engageable with a suitable formation such for instance as a notched disk 46 fixed upon the end of the said screw 38.

There is also provided a suitable stop adapted, when the carriage is returned to its starting point, to contact with the said pawl and cause the latter to disengage the screw 38 in order to permit the latter to resume its nut-closing position under action of its spring 39.

, As here shown the said stop consists of a clip 47 adjustable to various positions upon the length of a rod 48 fixed to extend parallel with the travel of the carriage.

Means are provided also for use in looking the portion 18-2O of the carriage stationary when the machine is usedin connection with a record of the ordinary type, such means con-,

' 51 upon the said member 18.

In practice the said stationary position of the portion 18-20 of the carriage will preferably be such that the end of the boss of the friction-roller 13 will be in contact with an anti-friction thrust-bearing 52 (Fig. 2)

provided for this purpose in the side of the column 4 and by which arrangement the roll er being received between the said thrust bearing and the opposing'thrust bearing 22 carried by the-member 20 as hereinbefore mentioned, Will be held firmly in position relative to the disk 2 and steadied in its rotation.

In order to provide an even support for the disk 2 when the latter is in contact with the friction roller 13, an idler roller 53, (Fig. 2) is preferably provided to engage the underside of the disk at a point diametrically op-.-

posite to that at which the said friction roller bears.

For the purpose of releasing the frictional engagement of the roller 13 and disk 2 at the completion of the traversing movement, as

hereinbefore mentioned, the said disk is raised sufiiciently to clear such roller, this being preferably accomplished by the action of a spring or springs .held in check during the traversing movement but released and so permitted to raise the disk at the completion of such movement.

In the preferred form of the construction projecting arm 66 (Fig. 2) preferably prohere shown, (Figs. 2 and 4) the means for this purpose comprise an annulus 54 underlying the disk, or its gear-wheel 33 and concentric therewith, such annulus being provided at diametrically opposite points with two downwardly extending rods 55 slidable in fixed guides. Engageable with downwardly facing shoulders 56 upon the said 61 tending to turn the same into that position in which it places its cams 59 with their great er radii towards the levers thereby causing the latter to rise and in so doing to raise the disk 2 to its upper position in whichitbecomes released from frictional engagement with the roller 13.

Upon the end of the cam-spindle 60 is provided a knob 62, or other means whereby such spindle may be turned manually against the tendency of its said spring into the position here shown (Fig. 2) in which it places its cams with their smaller radii to the levers thereby permitting the latter and with them the disk 2 to sink into the position in which the latter is frictionally engaged by the roller.

The means as here shown for retaining the spindle in the last said position consist of a pawl or detent 63 pivoted as at 64 upon the base and engageable with the notched collar 65 fixed uponthe spindle 60 and conveniently serving also as a means of attaching to such spindle one end of the said spring 61, the other end of which is anchored to a stationary point upon the mounting.

For the purpose of causing the spindle 60 to be automatically released on completion of the traversing movement of the carriage, the pawl 63 is provided with an upwar ly vided with an adjustable tappet 67 whereby it is enga'geable by a plunger 68 slidably mounted at a fixed position upon the base to be operably contacted with by a portion of the carriage as the latter arrives at the desired limit of its traversing movement.

. In the preferred form of the construction the said meansv for operating the plunger consist of a.tooth or projection 69 provided upon a co1lar-70 fixed upon the screw 38, the

' arrangement being such that when such screw occupies its nut-closing position, as here shown, the said tooth will pr0]ect downwardly and so come within range of the lunger,

- but when such screw is turned into its other or nut-openin position the said tooth will extend lateral y thereby clearin the plunger as required when the portion 0 the carriage carrying the friction wheel is brought into its inner position' for use in connection with ordinary records, as already mentioned.

The said collar 70 is arranged to lie partly within a slotted formation 71 in the member 20 in order that it may serve as a means of preventing end-movement of the screw 38.

The said collar also conveniently serves as a means of connecting to the screw 38 one end of the spring 39 the other end of which is anchored to a. fixed point.

For the purpose of enabling the said raising of the disk to be effected in response to a manual operation, when so desired, a handlever as 72 (Figs. 1 and 3) may be provided such lever being fulcrumed to a fixed point as 73 and adapted when'turned to release the pawl 63.

In operation when the machine is employed in recording or reproducing records of the uniform needle-speed type the two main portions of the carriage will be locked together by the engagement of the rods 27 with the openings 31.

Assuming the record to be in place upon the turn-table 3, the disk 2 to be in its raised condition, the nut 37 to be in its open condition, and a source of power applied to the shaft 14. The carriage will be-moved manually along its guides to the desired starting point at which the pawl 44 comes into engagement with the stop 47 thereby causing such pawl to release the screw 38 which in consequence turns under action of its spring 39 and closes the nut 37.

The recording or reproducing unit carried upon the member 25 of the carriage will then be placed with its needle in engagement with the volute groove of the record.

By now turning the spindle 60 against the tendency of its spring 61 until the pawl 63 engages with the notch of the collar 65 the disk 2 will be lowered into the position of frictional engagement with the wheel 13, thereby causing such disk and with it the turntable 3 to rotate. Y

The rotation of the disk is communicated through the gearing 33, 34, 35 and 36 to the leading-screw 32 which by its engagement with the nut 37 causes the carriage to per-- form its traversing movement carrying with it the friction roller 13 and the needle-carrying unit.

It will be seen that as the carriage performs itstraversing movement the point at which the friction wheel engages with the disk will be at a gradually decreasing radius from the centre of such disk thereby causing the speed of the latter and with it the speed of the leading-screws to be gradually increased thereby compensating for the diminishing diameters of the convolutions of the record in which the needle is tracking.

On arrival of the carriage at the desired limit of its traverse the engagement of the When it is desired to employ the machine in connection with a record of the'ordinary,

- or varying needle-speed type, the rods 27 will be .withdrawn from engagement with the openings 31 to permit of the two portions of the carriage being separated.

In this case the portion 182O carrying the friction-roller 13 will be placed at a position at which the friction-roller lies at a desired radius from the centre of the disk to provide the required speed for the turn-table and at which position such portion is locked stationary as by the engagement of the pin 19 with a hole in the guide 17 as already mentioned. The said stationary position of the carriage will preferably be that in which the boss of thewheel 13 is in contact with the thrust bearing 52.

With this employment of the machine the nut 37 will be maintained in open condition throughout the operation but as a precaution against accident the thread is preferably turned off the end portion of the screw which would be received within such nut when the carriage occupies the said stationary position.

In this employment of the machine the other portion 23-25 of the carriage carrying the needle-carrying unit, being disengaged from the portion 18-20, will be free to travel along the guides and thus perform its traversing movement solely in I response to the engagement of the needle with the volute groove ofthe record.

In a simplified form of the construction the turn-table 3 and spider 10 may be dispensed with and the disk 2 utilized as the turntable but such an arrangement would obviously be inferior to the two disk arrangement here shown.

We claim:

1. Improvements in apparatus for recording and reproducing disk records for talking machines comprising in combination with a needle-carrying unit whose needle isadapted to engage in the volute groove of the record,

a base, a disk rotatably mounted thereon, a record-carrying turn-table above said disk co-aXial therewith and drivably connected thereto, a driving-shaft disposed radially of said disk a roller on said shaft drivably con: nected thereto and slidable therealong, the periphery of sa-idroller being engageable frictionally with the face of said disk to roi tate the latter and with it the turn-table, a

I carriage movable along fixed guides parallel with said shaft and by which carriage said friction roller iscarried for movement therewith along said shaft, and means operable to produce progressive traversing movement of said carriage along its guides .during said rotation of the disk.

2. Improvements in apparatus for record ing and reproducing disk records for talking machines according to claim 1 wherein the carriage-actuating'means comprising a leading-screw rotated by motion from said disk and engageable and disengageable by means upon said carriage, a spring tending to carry said means into engagement with said screw, means operable to disengage said means and retain the same against said tendency of the spring thereby to release the carriage for return to its starting point, and a stop operating when said carriage is so returned to release said spring thereby to permit the latter to bring its contolled means into engagement with said leading-screw.

3. Improvements 1n apparatus for record- I ing and reproducing disk records for talking gagement with said friction-roller and wherein said disengaging movement is per-.

formed by a spring held in check during the traversing movement of the carriage and re-' leasable to disengage the disk by means operated by the carriage upon the latter reach ing a desired limit of its traversing movement.

5. Improvements in apparatus for recording and reproducing disk records for talking machines according to claim 1 wherein said turn-table: is carried by a spindle supported ona bearing independent of that of said disk.

6. Improvements in apparatus for recording and reproducing disk records for talking machine according to claim 1 wherein said disk is rotatably mounted by a tubular spin- 6 I 1,se2,o24

of'said disk spindle and being drivably connected with the latter near its lower end.

8. Improvements in apparatus for recording and reproducing disk records. for talking machines according to claim 1 wherein said carriage com rises two main portions one carrying the'friction-roller and the other carrying the needle-carrying unit, said portions bein capable of movement along said 1 guides eit lier in unison or as independent units.

. 9. Improvements in a paratus for recording and reproducing dis records for talking machines according to claim 1 wherein said 15 carriage comprises two main portions capa- 1 ble of independent movement along said guides and carrying said friction-roller and said needle-carrying unit respectively, and means for interconnecting and disconnectso. ing said portions to cause the same to act in unison or separately.

10. Improvements in apparatus for recording and reproducing disk records for talkin machines according to claim 1 wherein sai carriage comprises two-main portions capable of movement along said guides either in unisonor separately, one of said portions being actable upon by said traverse-actuating means and carrying said friction-roller 30 while the othercarries said needle-carrying unit, means for suspending the operation of said traverse-actuating means upon said roller-carrying portion and for retaining the latter in a stationary position relative to the 35 disk, and means for releasing from said portion said unit-carrying portlon to erm1t of the latter moving along its guides tFy the engagement. of the needle of said unit with the groove of the record.

40 In testimon whereof we have hereunto set our hands at hristchurch, New Zealand.

HORACE JOHN ALBERT BABLOW. ROBERT DOUGLAS CARGILL. 

